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Early voting for the March 5 Democratic and Republican primary elections, kicks off Tuesday, with intraparty conflicts creating several competitive races in the Houston area.
WHAT: Voters across the city and the state of Texas will head to the polls to weigh in on hundreds of primary elections for races ranging from U.S. president to local party precinct chairs, including state legislative seats, county offices and numerous state and county judicial posts.
In the Houston area, Democratic voters will be asked to weigh in on a strong challenge to Harris County’s incumbent district attorney, a competitive race to fill Mayor John Whitmire’s vacated state Senate seat and more than 100 other races in the county alone.
On the Republican side, a crowded field is vying for the opportunity to challenge Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez in November, the Democratic incumbent, and its own slew of legislative and congressional contests.
There are a total of 119 Democratic races and 122 Republican races in Harris County, Harris County Clerk Teneshia Hudspeth said at a Monday news conference. Voters should expect to only see between 56 and 65 races on their ballots for either party, depending on their addresses they are registered at, Hudspeth added.
Voters can view a sample ballot for their address at HarrisVotes.com before heading to the polls.
This will be the first time Harris County has held a joint primary. Voters will notice few differences from previous primaries when casting a ballot, Hudspeth said.
In previous years, the Democratic and Republican parties had separate voting locations, or they were at the same location but used separate equipment. The joint primary was agreed to by the chairs of the Harris County Republican and Democratic parties earlier this year after Hudspeth said her office would be overburdened by the number of polling places it would have to operate under a new state law.
WHEN: Early voting runs through March 1. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day, with the exception of Sunday, when they open from noon to 7 p.m.
WHERE: Residents can cast ballots at any of the 79 early voting centers across Harris County. To find early voting centers and see a sample ballot for Harris County, go to harrisvotes.com.
Voters in Fort Bend County can find voting locations and sample ballots here.
Galveston County voters can find sample ballots and voting locations at galvestonvotes.org.
For voting locations and sample ballots in Montgomery County, click here.
Brazoria County voters can find sample ballots and voting locations at the county clerk’s website.
Waller County residents can find election information and sample ballots here.
In Chambers County, voters can find sample ballots on the county’s elections page.
For Liberty County residents, sample ballots and poll locations can be found here.
HOW: Texas is one of a handful of states that hold an “open primary,” which means voters choose which political party’s ballot they would like to vote on when arriving at a polling place, regardless of which party they identify with.
Under Texas law, voters must present one of seven types of photo identification to enter a polling place. Acceptable forms of ID include:
- Texas driver’s license
- Texas personal identification card issued by the Department of Public Safety
- United States citizenship certificate containing a photo
- Texas handgun license issued by DPS
- Texas election identification certificate issued by DPS
- U.S. passport
- U.S. military ID containing a photo
Don’t have a photo ID? You can fill out a Reasonable Impediment Declaration (RID) at the voting center and show a copy or original of a current utility bill, a bank statement, a government document that shows your name and address, your voter registration certificate, a government check, a paycheck or a certified U.S. birth certificate.
If you cannot provide one of those, you may vote provisionally. You will need to sign a provisional affidavit and will have six days after the election to bring an approved photo identification to the county registrar. In Harris County, that is the tax assessor-collector’s office.
KNOW-HOW: You can watch a video on how to use Harris County’s voting machines on YouTube.
HELP: Should you need assistance at a voting location:
- The ballot is available in English, Spanish, Vietnamese and Chinese
- You can increase the font size or contrast on the voting machines
- Curbside voting is available at every location for those who need it. Ring the buzzer under the blue sign set in the parking lot for assistance
- Accessibility booths are wider and have a separate control to accommodate mobility devices or a chair
- Remote interpreters for those who need language assistance, including American Sign Language, are available
REMEMBER: You may not use your phone in the voting center. You may, however, take a printed copy of the sample ballot or list of preferred candidates into the voting booth.
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